The Ocarina Celestina
How it works
Figure 1
When the handle is turned, air is pulled into the feeders (1) and pressurized in the high pressure reservoir (2) by a large compass spring. This high pressure air, shown in green, flows into both the spool box (3) and the low pressure reservoir (4). As the low pressure reservoir fills with air; the cone valve (5), suspended from the reservoir’s top board, is lifted up and closes off the air supply when the reservoir is full. The air in this reservoir is regulated to a lower pressure by the light weight of the reservoir’s top board. This low pressure air, shown in blue, pressurizes the valve chamber (6). When a hole in the paper roll (7) lines up with a hole in the tracker bar (8), high pressure air passes through the hole and inflates a leather pouch (9) on the pouch board, which in turn opens a valve letting low pressure air blow an ocarina (10). As the ocarinas play and air in the low pressure reservoir is depleted, the cone valve opens, immediately allowing more air to fill the reservoir.
Figure 2
To rewind the paper roll the large handle is pulled outward to disengage the gears (Figure 2). This action requires a complicated connecting rod between the crank and the feeders. The joint at each end has to be able to move in both the X and Y axis. After the gears are disengaged, the small handle (which is usually stored inside the case) is slid onto the rewind shaft for rewinding.
Figure 3
There were no drawings or plans for the Ocarina Celestina when I began. I spent a week thinking about the design and making a few rough sketches, and then worked 14-16 hour days for three months to build the instrument.
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